THE JUNIOR COOK BOOK CLARA INGRAM JUDSON Class JUXjL/X. Book ■ "J"-? 3 copnuGHT OEPosm THE JUNIOR COOK BOOK BY CLARA INGRAM JUDSON n Author of Mart Jake Series NEW YORK BARSE & HOPKINS PUBLISHERS <^'' .i"" Copyriglit, 1920, ' by BAKSE & HOPKINS m -4 1920 ^CI,'a571293 ^ ■^ TO ALICE AND MARY GENERAL DIRECTIONS For Cooking After you have decided which recipe you wish to use, read it over very carefully. Thrifty cooks decide in the morning what they will cook during the day and order what groceries are needed for all cooking. This avoids the shift- less habit of running to the grocery just be- fore mealtime. Sometimes, tho, a young cook decides to make something on the spur of the minute; it is all the more necessary then, that the cook read the recipe over with care and see that all materials required are at hand before actual cooking begins. If materials are not in the house, select some other recipe or market for what is needed. Notice the time mentioned for cooking and figure about how long before mealtime you should begin work. A beginner cook should allow plenty of time for preparations — at least t\vice as long as an experienced cook would take. This will avoid the last minute flurry that spoils many an otherwise good dish. GENERAL DIRECTIONS When ready to begin cooking, read the recipe thru again and get out all materials required. Next get out all utensils needed and lay them on the table where they will be most conveniently at hand. If pans are to be greased or any material is to be ground, do that next. For the actual cooking, follow the directions given in the recipe step by step. If you measure accurately and do each step just in the order the recipe directs, you will have a successful result — you cannot fail. As soon as you are thru cooking, put your utensils to soak. Greasy dishes and tools soak in hot water; floury things go into cold water to dissolve the starch. A good cook always puts away materials, washes the dishes and tidies the kitchen ; then folks want her to come again. A\liile learning to cook, it is a good plan to make but one dish at a meal. As one gets more experience and learns to watch more than one thing, try two dishes and finally a whole meal. A girl or boy who leams how to cook plain, nourishing food is a good citizen. GENERAL DIRECTIONS For Taking Care of This Book Every other page of this book is left blank so there Yvill be space for pasting in recipes that may be given by friends or may be read in the magazines. If the recipe is cut out of a magazine it can simply be pasted in — put it near the foods to which it belongs so it will be easy to find — but if the recipe is given you by someone, try to get a tyi^ewritten copy for pasting in your book. If that is impossible, write it in on the proper page, using your neatest hand writing and being sure you copy the amounts and directions exactly right. Never put a new recipe into your book till you have tried it once and have found that you like the product and that the recipe is complete and correct. A\Tien working in the kitchen, prop this book open at the back of the table where no drops from stirring materials can touch it. Never handle the book with floury or greasy hands. Most kitchen cabinets have a wire rack on the inside of the cupboard doors ; the cook book can be propped open behind this rack where it can easily be seen and referred to, and yet be high and dry and clean. PREFACE There has been a real demand for a book of cooking directions for young folks ; a book that concerned itself not so much with candy and *'miusual" desserts as with good, plain, nourish- ing food with directions so straightforward that any reader could understand. The recipes in this book are the result of much study and experiment with children. Every recipe given has been made by a child of twelve (or under) without any directions other than here given. The directions are given one step at a time — largely one sentence at a time — and nothing in the way of previous knowl- edge is taken for granted. By this method a young and ambitious cook may actually cook real food without the necessity of having a mother or other adviser right at hand while the work is going on. This independence is val- uable at any time, but in case of illness in the family or of the sudden absence of the house- keeper, a child may, with the help of this book, teach herself to cook and thus tide the family over an emergency. Boys as well as girls will PREFACE want to be self-helpf ul ; it may be well enough to have no knowledge of cooking at home, per- haps, but how about the camping trip or the house party f At such a time the boy who knows how to cook is easily the leader and is well re- paid in fun for his effort in learning. With the idea of helping toward this inde- pendence, a few menus are included at the end of the book, in order that the young cook may be guided toward knowledge of correct food com- binations. These are merely suggestive but will be found a real help if no' adviser is near. It Avill be noticed that there are an unusual number of recipes for cooking vegetables. Chil- dren do not know how vegetables should be pre- pared; yet fresh, well cooked vegetables are one of the cheapest and best of foods. By follow- ing the directions given here a young cook can greatly add to the variety of her menus. There are a considerable number of recipes for making ,iam. Some girls have found that they can make juin in vacation and sell it for pin money in the fall. Also, jam done up in nice paraffin covered glasses makes the nicest sort of a Christmas present, and the wise girl ^^^ll use a part of her summer vacation in a profitable fashion. It is best to begin by making jam in small quantities, so all the recipes are planned for small amounts, but they are easily PREFACE doubled or increased still more when the cook has gained experience. Attention is also called to the large number of inexpensive dishes that have meat value — cheese dishes, egg dishes and dishes that call for a small amount of inexpensive meat. These foods -will be found ver\^ nourishing, tasty and inexpensive and many an older cook will be glad to use them in her menus. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Meats and Dishes that Have Food Value of Meat 15 Bacon Omelet 17 Cheese Omelet 21 Creamed Cheese on Toast 25 Corn Oysters 27 Broiled Oysters on Toast 31 Sunshine Eggs 33 Scrambled Eggs 37 Baked Sausage with Vegetables 39 Creamed Dried Beef on Toast 43 Deviled Eggs 47 Hani and Eggs, Junior Fashion 51 Mexican Lamb 53 Meat Loaf 57 Sardines on Toast 61 Vegetables 63 Fresh Tomatoes on Toast 65 Buttered Beets 67 Baked Com 71 Dandelion Greens 73 Creamed Green Onions on Toast 77 Esealloped Oyster Plant 81 Young Lettuce 85 Riced Potatoes 87 Tasty Spinach 89 Young Carrots 91 Potato Cakes 93 Luncheon Potatoes 95 CONTENTS rAOE Breads, Muffins, Wafers and Cookies .... 97 Brown Bread 99 Corn Bread 103 Popovers 107 Bran Muffins 109 Corn flour Muffins Ill Spoon Biscuit 113 Cinnamon Toast 117 Cheese Wafers to Serve with Salad 119 Marshmallow Crackers 121 Hurry-Up Macaroons 123 Rice Cookies 125 Christmas Stars 129 Salads and Salad Dressings 133 Cooked Salad Dressing 135 French Salad Dressing 139 String Bean and Carrot Salad 143 Sliced Apple Salad 145 Desserts 149 Plain Cake with icing 151 Cocoanut Pudding 155 Brown Betty Pudding 159 Rhubarb Tarts I(i3 Baked Apples Stuffed with Nuts 167 Angel Dessert 171 Fruit Marshmallow Whip 173 Snow Cups 175 Sandwiches 179 Cheese Dreams 181 Valentine Sandwiches 183 Easter Sandwiches 187 Ham Sandwiches 189 Raisin Sandwich Filling 191 CONTENTS PAGE Jams and Conserves 195 Strawberry Jam 197 Easpberiy Jam 199 Gooseberry Jam 199 Currant Jam 199 Blackberry Jam 199 1, 2, 3, 4 Jam 201 Pear Honey 203 Peach Jam 205 Rhubarb Conserve 207 Victory Jam 209 Apple Honey 211 Old Fashioned Apple Sauce 213 Good Things to Drink 217 Hot Cocoa 219 Iced Cocoa 221 Grape Juice Punch 223 Milk Shake 225 Iced Tea 229 Breakfast Food . . . .; . .• 231 Raisin Mush 233 Confections ....,■.„ 235' Stuffed Prunes ...... . .... 237 Candy Balls 241 Puffed Rice Balls . . . ......... 243 MEATS, AND DISHES THAT HAVE FOOD VALUE OF MEAT f BACON OMELET Cut 3 slices of bacon into 4 pieces each. Put into a f I'^ang pan and set over a very low fire. Break and divide 3 eggs, putting the whites on a platter and the yellows into a bowl. With an Qgg beater beat the whites till they stand up firm and stiff. Turn the frying bits of bacon. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt and 3 tablespoonsful of water to the yellows, and beat till smooth and creamy. Take up the bacon onto a warm platter. By this time the bacon should be nicely browned but not scorched. If not brown enough, increase the heat and while watching carefully let brown, then take up. Pour yellows into whites and beat three or four beats to mix as lightly as possible. Slide from the platter onto the frying pan. Watch carefully and when the egg is set firm at the sides loosen the cooked Qgg with a spatula so that it does not stick. 17 BACON Oi\li:i.ET Cook slowl}^ for 5 minutes and then set in a hot oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven. (The handle of the pan will be very hot so be sure you have a good thick holder to protect your hand.) Arrange the pieces of bacon around the side of the platter; loosen the omelet at side of pan with your spatula and push it gently into the middle of the platter. Serve at once. You will notice that there is no difficult turn- ing of an omelet when it is cooked this way. This recipe will serve 4 persons and makes a fine breakfast or luncheon dish. Add 1/3 of the recipe for each additional person you may wish to serve. 19 CHEESE OMELET Open 4 eggs and divide the whites from the yellows putting them in separate bowls. Beat the whites till very stiff. Add 4 tablespoonsful of water, 1 teaspooni'ul salt, 1/4 teaspoonful pepper to the yellows and beat till smooth. Put 1 tablespoonful of meat drippings in a frying pan and melt till the bottom and sides of pan are well greased. Pour yellows onto stiff whites and beat gently till mixed. Put the pan over a slow fire and pour the eggs onto it when it is warm. Cook 5 minutes over a moderate fire. During this five minutes, slice 3 oz. of cream cheese into thin slices. When omelet has cooked 5 minutes lay the slices of cheese over the top. The whole omelet should be fairly well covered. Put the frying pan into the oven and bake the omelet till the cheese is melted to a tempting brown. This should take 12 or 15 minutes. 21 CHEESE OMELET Take from the oven. Be very careful to pro- tect your hands as the handle of the pan will be veiy hot. With a spatula, loosen the omelet around the edges. Slide it gently onto a hot platter ; garnish with a bit of parsley and ser^^e inmaediately. Notice that the omelet should slide onto the platter ; do not attempt to turn it over as that will make it heavy. 23 CKEAMED CHEESE ON TOAST Grate enough dry cheese to make a level table- spoonful. (Fresh cheese will do just as well but this is a good way to use up the dried bits that may be left over.) Put 4 tablespoonsful of butter (or substitute) into a saucepan mth 4 tablespoonsful of flour. Stir carefully and cook till a smooth paste is made. Stir in very gradually 2 cupsful of milk. Cook till smooth and creamy. If milk has been added gradually there will be no lumps. Add the grated cheese and cook slowly 3 minutes. Draw pan away from the heat to where it will keep w^ann but will not cook any more. A good plan is to set the pan over a second pan filled with boiling water. Make six slices of toast. Put each piece of toast on a hot plate. Ladle the creamed cheese over the -hot toast and serve immediately. This amount of cheese could be made to serve 8 pieces of toast if de- sired. This is a very good luncheon or breakfast dish. 25 CORN OYSTERS Cut the com off of 2 medium sized ears. (1 cupful of canned com or the com cut off 2 left over ears of boiled corn will be almost as nice, in case fresh, uncooked ears are not avail- able.) Break 2 eggs into a bowl. Measure 1 teaspoonful of salt and 4 level tablespoonsful of flour and beat in with the whole eggs till the mixture is smooth and creamy. Drop the cut off corn into the egg mixture and beat lightly again. Use a large fork for beat- ing. Put two tablespoonsful of meat drippings into a frying pan and heat. When grease is very hot put in the egg and com mixture, 1 tablespoonful at a time. Brown lightly on one side and then turn with pancake turner and bro^vn on the other. It is better to cook about 5 ''oysters" at a time so that you can watch each one and cook it a perfect and even brown. Take these up onto a hot platter. Put 1 tablespoonful more fat into the pan 27 CORN OYSTERS and cook five more. The recipe makes about 10 "oysters." This is a delicious dish for breakfast or lunch- eon during the season of fresh com and, by using canned com, can be made at any time of year. 29 BROILED OYSTERS ON TOAST Tliis is a fine recipe for Sunday evening tea. Have ready 1 pint of oysters, 6 large or 12 small pieces of bread, 2 tablespoonsful of butter, salt and pepper. When everything else about the tea is ready to sei-ve, toast the bread, being careful to brown the second side of each piece only slightly. Lay the toast, lightly browTied side up, in a big, shallow cookie pan. Lay the oysters on the toast, dividing so that each piece gets an equal share with each other piece. Cut the butter into tiny bits and drop over the toast. With a salt and pepper shaker, daintily season the oysters. Slip the pan into the broiler and cook till the edges of the oysters are curled. Sei*ve at once. 31 SUNSHINE EGGS Boil 3 eggs for 20 minutes. Drop the cooked eggs into cold water for five minutes. Peel off the shells. The cold water makes the shells come off quickly and neatly. Cut each egg into half, longways. Take out the yellows and drop them into a bowl. With a fork, break up the yellows till they look like fine meal. Add y^ teaspoonful of salt and 1 salt spoon of pepper and mix well with the yellows. Melt 2 tablespoon sful of butter substitute in a sauce pan. Add 2 tablespoonsful of flour and i/4 teaspoon- ful of salt and mix with the melting butter. Let this cook very slowly and stir all the time. When butter and flour are a smooth paste begin to pour on 1 cupful of milk. Stir all the time and add the milk very slowly so that it will cook in well. Stir and cook slowly till all the cupful of milk is blended in with butter and flour. 33 SUNSHINE EGGS Draw away from lire to where cream will keep waiTH but will not scorch. Make six slices of toast. Cut each egg white into 4 long strips. Arrange strips on toast, 4 to each piece. Pour the cream made of butter, flour and milk over the six slices dividing it as evenly as pos- sible. With a spoon sprinkle the crumbled yellows over the cream and serve at once, as it must be very hot to be tasty. A shake of paprika, if liked, makes a pretty bit of garnish to each piece. 85 SCRAMBLED EGGS Break 2 eggs into a small bowl. Add 1/2 saltspoonful of pepper, 14 teaspoonful of salt, and 1 cupful of milk. Beat with a fork till foamy. Melt 1 teaspoonful of meat drippings, lard, or oil in a small frying pan. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the pan. With the fork toss the egg lightly while it cooks over a slow fire. When the egg is almost set firm, turn it quickly onto a hot platter or serve directly onto warm plates. This is a very tasty and economical way to cook eggs, as this amount, only 2 eggs, will serve 4 people. If desired the egg may be taken up on small pieces of toast. 37 BAKED SAUSAGE WITH VEGETABLES Buy 8 links of small link sausage. Wash and put in pan with 1 cup of water. Boil for 20 minutes. Grease a baking dish with meat drippings or oil. Measure out 3 cupsful of cooked rice. Mashed or boiled potatoes diced or cooked maca- roni or spaghetti will make a nice dish too, but rice is the best. 1 cupful of tomatoes cut fine or % cupful of tomato juice. 2 onions cut up fine (this may be omitted if onion seasoning is not desired). Any left over vegetables such as peas, carrots, beets or the like to the amount of 2 cupsful may be used if desired. Put a layer of rice in the baking dish. Lay 4 of the cooked sausages over rice. Put half the vegetables over meat. Arrange another layer of rice, sausage and vegetables. Put remainder of rice over the top. If rice (or its equivalent) was not seasoned enough 39 BAKED SAUSAGE WITH VEGETABLES when cooked add 2 teaspoonsful of salt by sprinkling over the top of all. Put 2 cupsful of water over all and bake for 35 minutes. (If any water was left from cook- ing sausages, it should be used as part of this 2 cupsful.) Serve hot. This is ample for 4 peo- ple and will make a whole meal, as meat and vegetables are all together. 41 CREAMED DRIED BEEF ON TOAST Buy 1/4 pound of dried beef. Tear into small shreds. Put 2 tablespoonsful of meat drippings into a frying pan. (Vegetable oil or lard may be used if preferred. Butter is very delicious but makes the cost higher.) Drop the shredded meat into the fat and toss well. Put over a vslow fire and cook till meat begins to brown a very little. Measure 3 tablespoonsful of flour, 1 saltspoonful of pepper onto a plate. Slide the flour and pepper over the browning meat and toss till flour too, begins to get a little browned. Very slowly, stirring all the while, pour over the cooking meat 1 pint (2 cupsful) of milk. Stir till smooth and creamy. Have ready small pieces of toast — 1 for each person to be served. Arrange toast on a hot platter or on individual plates. With a large cooking spoon serve the meat, 43 CREAMED DRIED BEEF ON TOAST putting 1 or more spoonsful on each piece of toast. This recipe will serve 4 or 5 people. Garnish with a bit of green and serve at once. This is very nice to serve at luncheon or at dinner with mashed potatoes instead of toast. 45 DEVILED EGGS Put 6 eggs into a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. Pour off hot water and cover at once with cold water till the eggs are cool. This sudden change from hot to cold water will make the shells come off easily, and neatly. Cut the eggs, when shelled, into halves, long- wise. Take out the yellows into a bowl. Lay the empty white halves on a plate till needed for filling. Into the bowl in which you have put the yellows put 1 tablespoonful vegetable oil. (Use melted butter if you have no vegetable oil.) 2 teaspoonsful vinegar, Yo teaspoonful salt, 14 teaspoonful pepper, 1/4 teaspoonful ground mustard. Mix together by mashing with the back of a spoon till the mixture is smooth and creamy. Fill the white shells with the yellow mixture, packing neatly so that the shells are rounded full without smearing. 47 DEVILED EGGS If the eggs are wanted for picnic use, fit two stuffed halves together, fasten with a smooth toothpick and wrap neatly in paraffin paper. If they are prepared for home use, leave the halves separate; arrange them neatly on a platter, yellow part up : put a border of lettuce or pars- ley around the edge and serve very cold. 49 HAM AND EGGS, JUNIOR FASHION Recipe for four persons. Use 1/4 pound boiled ham cut with slicer No. 4. This should make 4 nice sized pieces. 4 eggs. Lay slices of ham in a f rjdng pan and brown daintily over a slow fire. Take up on a warm platter being sure that the slices keep their shape. Drop 4 eggs, one at a time, into the pan and cook till the edges get frilled and browned. (To break the eggs, knock an egg on the side of the table or of a pan. Insert right thumb in crack. With fingers of both hands pull shell apart and drop egg gently into a dish. Slide egg from dish into f lying pan and continue with second egg. By keeping each egg separate from the others an old egg may be discovered and thro^v^l out without damaging others.) If hard eggs are liked turn each egg over with pancake turner and cook again. Take up into platter and garnish with a bit of parsley or lettuce. Serve at once. 51 MEXICAN LAMB, EN CASSEROLE Take 2 cupsful of cooked lamb cut into small pieces before measuring. 2 small dried onions, cut very fine, 1 cupful of cooked carrots, sliced, 1 green pepper, cut into long strips, 1 cupful of cooked rice, Any leftovers of tomato, peas or lamb grav^^ on hand may also be used, and will add to the flavor. Measure out 1 tablespoonful flour, 1 teaspoonful of salt and 1 salt spoonful of pepper and mix together dry ready for use. Grease the sides and bottom of a casserole dish, or any good baking dish, with meat drip- pings or oil. Put in a layer of meat and rice and vegetable and sprinkle i^ the flour, salt and pepper over all. Put in a second layer of meat and rice and vegetables and sprinkle on the second half of the seasonings. 53 MEXICAxX LAMB, EN CASSEROLE Put 2 tablespoonst'ul of ketchup over the top. (If any tomato has been used this may be omitted if desired.) Pour over the whole dishful 2 cupsful of hot water. Sprinkle bread or cracker crumbs over the top and bake 35 minutes. Serve hot. This is enough for five people. This is a very economical and delicious way to use up the last bits of a large lamb roast. As meat and vegetables are all in the one dish it, with the addition of a salad or desert, makes a whole meal. ^5 MEAT LOAF Buy 11/2 pounds of beef and 1/0 pound of fresh pork, ground together. Measure out 2 cupsful of bread crumbs, 1 cupful of milk, 1 tablespoonful salt (be sure this is level only), 1/2 teaspoonful pepper. Crack 1 egg and drop into saucer. Cut up 1 green pepper (this may be omitted if out of season). 1 dried onion. Put meat into a large mixing bowl. Put all ingredients in with the meat reserving 14 cupful of crumbs for later use. Add 2 tablespoonsful of ketchup. Wash your hands carefully with soap an.l dry well. Prepare a baking pan by greasing with meat drippings. With both hands mix the meat and ingredients till all are well worked together. This may be done with two big forks but a much better result is obtained if hands are used. 57 MEAT LOAF Lay the meat loaf, when well mixed, in the bakiiiti: pan. Press firmly till neatly shaped. Sprinkle i/4 cupful of bread crumbs over the top. Bake in moderately hot oven for 50 minutes. This recipe may be molded into 2 loaves and then will bake in 35 minutes — a sa\dng of gas. Kemove from ovon. With a spatula loosen from the baking pan. Slide onto a warm platter, garnish with a bit of green and serve at once. This amount \\all serve 4 people for at least 2 meals ; for use the second meal the meat may be sliced cold or carefully reheated. 59 SAKDINES ON TOAST Open a can of sardines according to the direc- tions given on the can, and pour the contents onto a plate. Toast four pieces of bread a very light brown. White bread is nice for this but if the family like an occasional change this is a good time to make rye bread toast. Arrange 2 sardines on each piece of toast — opening each tiny fisli, removing the center bones and laying the fish in neat fashion on the toast. Lay the covered toast on a shallow pan. Set the pan in a moderately hot oven for 5 minutes. Serve at once. This is a very nice dish for breakfast or luncheon. 61 VEGETABLES FRESH TOMATOES ON TOAST Make 4 pieces of toast. Slice a large tomato into 4 even slices. Lay 1 piece in tlie center of each piece of toast. Put y^ teaspoonful butter, 1 saltspoonful salt and 1 dash of pepper on each slice of tomato. Put in a shallow pan and set in a moderately hot oven for 5 minutes so that the tomatoes will get hot. Serve at once. This is a very delicious dish for a summer breakfast or luncheon. A bit of cheese grated onto the tomato is liked by some and adds to the food value of the dish. 65 BUTTERED BEETS Wash 2 bunches of beets very carefully. If the tops are free from holes made by in- sects, wash those; put into water for an hour and cook for greens. If the tops are much eaten, as beet-tops bought at a grocery some- times are, do not try to use them. Gut the tops off about 4 inches from the root. Put the beets (with this 4 inches of stem at- tached) into a saucepan. Cover with boiling water and boil till tender. To tell when beets are tender, prick gently with a fork. When the beets are done, the fork will easily run way into the beets. Small, young beets will cook in 30 minutes ; old beets of large size Tsdll need at least 1 hour. Never test beets till they have cooked what you think should be about enough, as pricking them needlessly will spoil the pretty red color. Watch the amount of w^ater if the beets have to cook long, and pour on more if too much boils away. Beets will scorch easily if the water boils away. When they are done, remove at once from the fire. Pour off the hot water and cover at once 67 BUTTERED BEETS with cold water. This will loosen the skins. If plenty of running water is at hand, set the pan full of beets and hot water under the cold w^ater faucet and let the cold water run until the beets are cold. Then there is no danger of burning fingers in pouring ot¥ the boiling water. As soon as beets are cool, cut off 3 inches of the stems and arrange neatly in a dish. Then skin the beets (the skin mil pull right off in the fingers), slice them and arrange them on top of the beet stems. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoonful salt. Pour over all 2 tablespoonsful melted butter. Serve hot. If any beets are left over a half cupful of vinegar may be added to make pickled beets for the next day's dinner. 69 BAKED CORN Measure 3 cupsful of corn cut from the cob. Fresh uncooked corn is best but the dish is very nice if left-over, cooked corn is used. If fresh com is not in season the recipe may be made with 1 can of canned corn. Shake 1 tablespoonful of flour over the com and toss with a fork till the flour is well mixed mth the corn. Beat 1 egg till light. Add 1 teaspoonful salt, 1 pint (2 cupsful) milk and beat again. Grease a baking dish. Mix the com and egg with milk and beat 1 minute. Pour into the baking dish and bake 25 min- utes. If mango peppers are hked % pepper may be cut up and mixed with the corn. Also a left- over piece of celery, cut very fine, makes a nice bit of seasoning either with or without the pepper. Save the other half of the pepper for salad or to season a meat loaf. 71 DANDELION GREENS The jolly part of serving dandelion greens comes in the fun of getting them. Some Saturday morning in the early spring, or some night after school, take a basket and a trowel or old knife and start out after greens. The dan- delions should be cut off about an inch below the level of the ground and they should be cut before the plant blossoms. After blossoming the greens are more apt to be bitter. At meal time, wash the greens very carefully. Use 2 or 3 changes of water and be sure to get all the grit and sand washed away. Put about 3 quarts of greens in a kettle. Add 1 pint of water and cover very closely. If the kettle is very closely covered the greens will cook in this small amount of water and will be a much finer flavor than if a lot of water is used. Cook for 20 minutes. Cut up 4 pieces of breakfast bacon into tiny bits. Fry till delicately brown. Drop the bacon bits on top of the greens, pour 73 DANDELION GREENS the fat that has fried out over the top and cook for 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoonful of salt just before sei'ving. (The water should have about boiled away. If any should be left, do not save it.) Serve hot. Many like a seasoning of vinegar at the last minute. If any greens are left over they may be used in a combination salad. 75 CREAMED GREEN ONIONS ON TOAST This is a very good vegetable dish to serve in the springtime when the green onions in your garden are growing too fast for salad use, or when the large bunches of onions on the mar- ket are cheap and plenty. Wash the onions. Cut off the root end and the top 2 inches above the beginning of the green part. Put 2 dozen onions on to boil in a pint of boiling water. Boil for 15 minutes. Add 1 teaspoonful of salt and cook 5 minutes more. Drain off the water and save it for soup stock. Make a white sauce this way : Put 2 tablespoonsful of butter substitute in small saucepan over the fire. When butter is melted add 2 tablespoonsful of flour. Stir carefully and cook till smooth. Stir in very gradually 1 cupful of milk and cook slowly till smooth and creamy. Make 4 pieces of toast. 77 CREAMED GREEN ONIONS ON TOAST Put 6 cooked onions on each piece of toast. Pour the cream sauce over the toast and onions and serve at once. Plan to make the white sauce while the onions are cookins: the 15 minutes. Draw the sauce hack where it will keep hot but will not scorch ; season the onions and then the last 5 minutes make the toast. In this way it will all be done, and hot, at the same time. 79 ESCALLOPED OYSTER PLANT Wash the oyster plant and put it in a deep panful of water. With the hands all the time under water, cut off the stem and tip root end and scrape the skin. By working under water the hands are not stained and the vegetable does not turn dark and unsightly. Slice in thin slices and drop into another pan- ful of water. When all has been skinned and sliced, wash in two changes of water. Cover with boiling water and boil for 5 min- utes. Pour off the water. Grease a baking dish with meat dripping or butter. Put in a layer of oyster plant. Sift together i/o cupful of flour with 1 tea- spoonful of salt and 14 teaspoonful pepper. Sprinkle part of this flour mixture over the oyster plant. Put in another layer of oyster plant and an- other layer of seasoned flour. 81 ESCALLOrKJ) OYSTER PLANT There should be about 4 layers with flour on the top of the last layer. Pour 1 1/. cupsf ul of milk over the whole dish- ful and bake 45 minutes. A very easy and delicious way to cook a little used, but very cheap and wholesome, vegetable. 83 YOUNG LETTUCE FROM YOUR GARDEN When the lettuce in the garden grows too thick and fast, thin it out by pulling a panful of the biggest leaves. Wash carefully, leaf by leaf, drain, and cut or tear into small pieces. Cut four thin slices of bacon into six pieces each. Drop these pieces into a frying pan and brown nicely over a slow fire. Cut up one small onion and brown with the bacon if onion flavor is enjoyed. Toss till browned and then pour on 1 cup of vinegar. While this slowly heats arrange the lettuce in a serving dish. Pour the boiling hot vinegar, with the bacon bits and onion, over the lettuce and serve at once. 85 EICED POTATOES Scrub 8 medium sized potatoes. Put in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Boil till skins break — about 25 minutes. Pour off water at once. Peel potatoes by stripping off loosened skins. Put thru a potato ricer into a baking dish. Put 1/2 cup milk. 2 teaspoonsful butter. 1 teaspoonful salt into a small pan and heat till steaming hot. Pour this over the potatoes. Put potatoes in hot oven for 15 minutes and then serve at once. 87 TASTY SPINACH Material : y^y peck spinach. 4 thin slices of bacon or an equal amount of salt pork. 1 hard boiled q^^,. 1 teaspoonful salt. Wash spinach carefully. Cut off coarse root end. Wash again to be sure all sand is removed. Pry bacon at the bottom of a kettle, or large pan, till all fat is cooked out but the bacon is not yet brown. Pour Vj cupful of water over the bacon. Drop spinach lightly into th« kettle and cover at once. Cook till tender. The fire should be very moderate so that cooking takes about 30 min- utes. Hard cooking spoils the flavor and too much water spoils the food value of the spinach. The water should have about boiled away in 30 minutes so that the spinach can be served at once without draining. Add salt just before serving. Garnish with slices of hard boiled q^^ and serve at once. 89 YOUNG OAJ(1(OTS Pull ilio oarroiH (varly in tlic rrioiiilii*!;'. (■iii ofl' lops i\]\(\ \n\{ in u cool piuc-c. An lioiir bcforo nK'jiliiinc, Hcraf)e off rou^li places and Hlice into Vij incFi piccoK. Do nof us(^ llic i\\) of roof. Put on to cook in saucojKin with boiling waU^r. Use 2 pints of water to 3 cupHCuI of carrots. Cook till tender. This will take 20 to 'M) min- utes according to the ag(^ of tlu^ carrots. (Win- t(^r carrots will take liall' again as long.) Drain off water and save for soup stock. Add 1 tcasfMXHiful salt, 2 teaspoonsful butter and '/- cup milk. 13ring to a boil and serve at once. 91 POTATO CAKES Scrub 5 medium sized potatoes. Put in a pan and cover with boiling water. Boil till skins break — will take about 25 min- utes. Pour off the water at once. Peel off skins. (Stick a large fork in the po- tato and strip off" loosened peeling with small knife. Put peeled potatoes thru a ricer. Add V2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoonful butter and beat well. Drop one tablespoonful at a time onto a fry- ing pan which has been well greased with meat drippings. When brown around the edges, turn over with a pancake turner and brown on other side. Serve at once on a warm platter. Tliis makes 6 or 8 cakes. 93 LUNCHEON POTATOES Scrub 4 large potatoes. Cut in halves the long way. Arrange in a shallow pan the cut side up. Lay a slice of cream cheese on the cut side of each potato. Sprinkle daintily with salt. Put in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Serve at once. These are easy to fix and are very nour- ishir.g. Can be used at any meal but are par- ticularly good for luncheon, as the cheese makes them take the place of both meat and potato. 95 BREADS, MUFFINS, WAFERS AND COOKIES BROWN BREAD Put 1 ciir)ful of molasses (cooking syrup, very (lark brown color), 1 teaspoonful salt, Y_> tea spoonful soda In a saucepan and cook over a slow fire till it bubbles up. Stir 3 or 4 times and remove from fire. Dissolve V-^ teaspoonful soda in 1 pint (2 cupsful) of sour milk or butter- Biilk. Stir till foamy. Add this to the molasses and stir 3 or 4 times. Sift 1 y^ cupsful of flour with 1 teaspoonful baking powder and spread on a plate. Put 1 cupful of raisins (seeded) on this plate and with a fork, toss till all the raisins are cov- ered with flour. Grease 2 bread tins; cut papers to fit the bot- toms; grease papers. Note that the grease should be both above and below the paper. The best way of greasing a pan is to apply the grease, or oil, with a brush kept for that pur- 99 BROWN BREAD pose. If there is no brush at hand use a clean bit of yellow paper on which there is no printing. If greasing is done right tho. hands can be kept tidy and clean. Put V/4 cupsful of bran 1 cupful of commeal into the molasses and milk and stir. Add the flour and raisins and beat well. Pour the dough (which will look rather thin) into the two pans, dividing equally. Bake in rather slow oven for 50 minutes. T)o not cut till cold. This broad is fine for sandwiches as well as for serving plain. 101 CORN BREAD Mix together 2 tablespoonsful of fat (lard, vegetable oil or meat drippings will make good corn bread), 1 tablespoonful sugar, y2 teaspoonful salt, 1 Ofrcr Boat till smootl). Measure out 1 1/. cupsful sour milk or butter- milk. Add Vii teaspoonful soda to the milk and stir till foamy. Pour this onto the first mixture and stir lightly. Sift 1 teaspoonful baking powder with I'/j cupsful flour. Add this flour and 11/2 cupsful conimeal to the dough and stir till well mixed. Grease a large shallow baking pan and pour the cornmeal dough in, spreading it out well so that the whole large f)an is evenly covered. Bake for 20 minutes in a moderately hot oven. 103 CORN BREAD In serving the corn bread be sure to break it apart instead of cutting it. Corn bread should be served very hot, and cutting hot bread makes it heavy and [)oor. Yellow cornmeal makes the prettiest ooni bread. Tn times of year when eggs are very high the o<^}^ may be omitted from this recipe. P>ut wiili the eg^, the bread is a little finer, richer and more nourishing. Served with strips of well cooked bacon and greens ol" some sort, corn bread makes a com- plete meal. 105 POPOVERS Grease a muffin tin of 8 rings very carefully and put it in the oven so it will get hot. Put into a mixing bowl 1 eggj 1 cupful milk, 1 cupful flour, sifted twice, l^ teaspoonful salt. Beat till creamy and smooth. Drip the dough, which is very thin, into the muffin rings which by now should be very hot. Divide the dough as evenly as possible so that the popovers will bake in the same length of time. Put in a hot oven and bake 20 minutes or untd the popovers pop away up and get nicely brown. Take from the pan very quickly and serve im- mediately. To be successful popovers must be served while very fresh and hot. Popovers are supposed by some to be very hard to make but if tliese simple rules are fol- lowed success is sure. They make a fine break- fast or luncheon dish. The recipe may be doubled for a larger amount. 107 OrwiHO a mijflfin tin of 12 rin/j^H. Mix ioffoth(!r in u. rriixin;^ howl. 2 l,^^.l)l(^sf)(K)rlH^ul of sii;j^ar, 2 i/;i})loH[)()onsriil of Hliortening (vogotablo oil, rn(3}il. (Irif)pirif^,s, l;inl or huitor Hub.siitute are good ) . M: tn{iHf)Oorii"ijl of Halt, 1 ciipriil milk, Yi. (',u|)rijl of wai(;r. Mix i\u'. lirsi llirtM' ingrcMJionis lill creamy and then add IIk; ii(;xi two. ♦Sin, iog(!ihor % cuf)!*!)! of flour and 4 tea- Hj)()onsrul of baking [)owdor. Add thiH Hiited Hour and baking powder to the firHt niixturn and then add 1 y.i ciipHl'ijI of bran. Heat w(di till tlioroly mixed. l>ro[) by Hpoon.slul into the groaned murfm ringH and bak(! Tor 20 minut tahlespoonsful of lard or cookini^ oil aad put with (lour inixtiii'c. Willi the (iii;j:er tips work the fat into the (lour till ilu^ whole mass looks ''crumbly." Wash hands and ^et out mullin tins. Grease muf(in tins for IS rin^s. It* the tins arc very large 12 may b(^ enough, but a largo number of small biscuits are v(!ry nice. Measure out 1 cupful of milk. Pour the milk into the mixture of Hour and fat and, using a big fork, work it (|uicl;^ iogoihor), 2 tab](!Sp()()nsrnl milk, i/o tcaspoonrul Ihivoriiig (vanilla or al- mond), into a mixing bowl and beat till creamy. Add 1 cuijl'id ric(! flour. Stir in the Hour gradually, 'i'lic dougli Hliould b<^ very stiff. Wwa'. (ioui- varies a lillh' ao if the dough is not very stiff, add '/j cufjful of wh(uii flour. Sfjrinkh! riee floui* on a mixing boai-d. I*ut tli(i dough on tin; board, r-oil very thin and cut into C()()ki(!S with n cooki(; cutt pound of sugar and V2 pound of flour. (Weigh these two materials if possible; if you have no scales use ly^ cups of sugar and 2 cups of flour.) Measure out i/4 pound of butter substitute and lay it on top of the sugar and flour. Open 1 egg. Drop the white on a small saucer and put the yellow on top of the butter substi- tute. Open a second egg and drop the whole egg on top of the butter substitute. (Be sure to save out the white of the first egg; then if the yellow breaks and you cannot successfully separate the white and yellow, you can use that whole egg and have another chance at getting a perfect white for later use.) With the tips of fingers mix together the flour, sugar and butter. If the hands are washed in cold water just before doing this the job can be neatly and quickly done. Add 2 tablespoonsful of cold milk and mix again. 129 CHRISTMAS STARS Divide the lump of dough into two parts. Drop one part onto a floured board. With a well floured rolling pin roll out very thin. Cut in star shapes with a cookie cutter. With a pancake turner or a spatula lift each cookie into a slightly greased cookie pan. When one pan is full of cookies, take a small paint bnish or a bit of clean cotton, dip in the unused white of egg, and brush over the top of each cookie. This will make the cookies look glazed when they have been baked. Press 1,4 of a candied cherry on each cookie. Bake in a moderate oven till light brown. Remove from pan at once, being careful not to break. When the first half of the recipe is baked, begin on the second half — ^this makes the rolling and cutting easy. These cookies are fine to make on a Saturday morning some two weeks before Christmas. Pack the cookies in a tin box or stone jar. They are also very fine for sending to a friend out of town as they pack well (put in layers between oiled paper) and keep well. The recipe makes about six dozen if each cookie is rolled as thin as it should be. 131 SALADS AND SALAD DRESSINGS COOKED SALAD DRESSING Put 1 quart of water into the lower part of a double boiler and set over the fire. Into the upper part of the boiler put : 1 cupful top milk or cream, 3 tablespoonsful sugar, 1 teaspoonful salt, 14 teaspoonful pepper, 1 tablespoonful butter. While this is getting hot dissolve : 3 tablespoonsful corastarch, 1/2 teaspoonful mustard in 2 tablespoonsful of milk or water. Milk is best. Stir this into the contents of the double boiler and cook till thick. Stir gently while it is cook- ing in order to aid in smoothness. Measure out 1 cupful of vinegar. When the contents of the double boiler have become very thick, stir in the vinegar. Pour it in very slowly and stir all the time so that the dressing does not get lumpy. When the vinegar is all in, stir for 2 minutes longer and then let cook for 15 minutes. While the dressing is cooking, open 2 eggs 135 COOKED SALAD DRESSING and divide the yellows from the whites. Only the yellows are needed for this dressing. It is a good plan to make salad dressing the same morning as other baking is being done. Then you can plan to use the whites of the eggs for something else. 3 yellows may be used if de- sired and the dressing will bo still better. Beat the yellows till thick and creamy. Take out 2 tablespoonsful of the hot dressing and beat with the yellows. Then add 2 table- spoonsful more. This heats the yellows grad- ually so no lumps are made. Set the double boiler from the fire. Beat the eg^ and dressing into the contents of the double boiler. By this method of adding the egg, the dressing is thickened without be- coming *'egg-y" or lumpy. Pour the dressing into a jar and put in a cool place. When cool this dressing may be used plain or it may be mixed with whipped cream (use equal parts of dressing and cream measured before whipping) for a delicious fruit salad dressing. This dressing is fine for spreading on sand- wiches or for any salad. 137 FRENCH SALAD DRESSING Chill a mixing bowl. This may be done by ruiiiimj? cold water over the bowl for a few minutes or by putting the bowl in a cold place some time before it is needed for use. Put into the cold bowl yake in a nioderatc^ly hot oven for 30 minutes. Do not let the edges get too brown. Remove from the pans and serve either hot or cold. These may be packed individually in paraffin paper for picnic use or for a school lunch. These directions, with merely a change of the fruit may be used for berry, cherry or apple tarts. 165 BAKED APPLES STUFFED WITH NUTS Scrub 6 fine apples. Remove the cores with a corer. Set the apples upright in a baking pan or dish. Fill the cores half full with light brown sugar. (Granlated sugar will do, but the other gives a fine flavor.) Put in 3 or 4 nut meats and fill up the rest of the core with sugar. Sprinkle over the tops 1 level teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, dividing it equally over the 6 apples. Put 1/2 of a level teaspoonful of butter directly- over the stuffed core of each apple. Pour lyo cupsful of water in the pan. Bake for 50 minutes. (It is impossible to tell exactly how long apples should bake as the apples vary in size. If you use large apples the}'- may need an hour while a very small apple will bake in 35 minutes. Use a moderately hot oven and bake till the apple is tender to a fork- prick and looks deliciously bursted open. A moderately large apple will be just right in 50 minutes.) 167 BAKED APPLES STUFFED WITH NUTS Serve hot with the syrup that has cooked into the pan. These apples may be drained, cooled and wrapped in paraffin paper. Fixed this way they are fine to eat cold in a school lunch or to take on a picnic. 169 ANGEL DESSERT Measure out 1 cupful of cookie crumbs, 1 cupful of thick cream, 1 tablespoonful of powdered sugar. If the crumbs are a little stale spread them on a pie pan and set them in a warm oven till they are hot. Then set out to cool. Whip the cream till stiff. Beat in the powdered sugar and add 1 tea- spoonful of vanilla flavoring. Stir in the cookie crumbs and serve at once in tall sherbet glasses. This makes a quick, easy and nourishing dessert and also is a fine way to use up the cookie crumbs that are in bottom of the cookie jar. If you find there are no crumbs at hand, crumble up 4 macaroons in place of the cookie crumbs and make the same way. The addition of chopped nuts or chopped raisins or cherries makes a pleasant change. 171 FRUIT MARSHMALLOW WHIP Materials : 1 box of fresh marshmallows, 1/2 cupful of finiit juice (orange or grape juice is the best), 1 cupful of hea\'y cream. 1 tablespoonful of powdered sugar. Cut the marshmallows into small pieces, and put them into a bowl. Pour the fruit juice over the marshmallows and set in a cool place for 2 hours. During this time the marshmallows will soak up all the fruit juice and will become soft and luscious. Then whip the cream till stiff. Add the sugar and the soaked marshmallows. Serve at once in small glasses or tall sherbet glasses. Add a candied cherry or nut meat to the top of each glass as a garnish if desired. This will serve 8 ; divide or increase the recipe if fewer or more are to be served. This makes a very delicious company or party dessert. 173 SNOW ours I'lil L? ciipH of inilk in IIm' upper p;irl, of a (l(Mil)l(> boiler. I'ni I (|ii;ii-|. (A' w.tl.ri- ill llic lower p;iil aiitl Hlari l.o boiling;" n\. owc.r. Tut '/- euplnl ol" Hii^-nr niid 1 s;ills[)o()iiriil ol' Niiil ill with milk. While llic milk is ^elliiiJC liol- (iisHolve ■t level iMltleMpooiiHl'ijI (il" corMsljireli wilh ['(> (^upTiil ol* milk. (U.s(! Hiriall howl or a cup.) When (he milk in Ihc hoih-r Ih Hiejiininp; hoi si.iriii the (lisHolv(MJ (ioriisl;ir<',li ;iii(l milk. Slir slowly I ill il IhiekeiiH. ('Over jumI cook Tor 'JO mimil(!H. While; Umh \h C/ookiii^- ^'■el, oiil (I Hmall c-iipH or «i;elaj,iiie molds; riiise lliem oiil, with e<)l(| wat'-r and s<'i lh(!m in a shallow pan. Al, Uic mid ol" 'JO mimilcs, lake llie doiihic boiler I'roiri IIk; lire. '^riieri add 1 ieaspooiil'id ol" vanilla, and J labh'- Sf)ooiisrul of ^rai(Ml (•ocoaiiiii 1o ihc (rooked milk. (TIk; coooanui may be omilied if yon wish.) Slir iill well mixe